Vulcanizing apparatus



June 2, 1925. 1,540,219

C. A. MYERS VULCANIZING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 17, 1921 awgmf .5 @en Patented June 2, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARMON A. MYERS, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRESTONE TIRE AND' RUBBER COMPANY, OF AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

VULCANIZING APPARATUS.

Application led January 17, 1921.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it kno-wn that I, CARMON A. MYERS, a citizen of the United States, residing in Akron, in the -county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vulcanizing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for vulcanizing rubber articles and is particularly directed to the manufacture of rubber tires, it being the purpose of the invention to enable tires to be cured more quickly and eco-nomically than has been possible in prior constructions. The apparatus is designed to obtain the maximum production of tires with a comparatively small equipment, it being arranged so that the molds are engaged in the manufacture of tires at all times.

By the apparatus herein shown, the mo-ld sections are handled entirely by machinery so that the manual labor connected with the vulcanizing of the tires is reduced to removal of the vulcanized tires, the insertion of the uncured tires and the securing together of the two halves of the mold.

The apparatus is so designed and arranged that the molds are in travel at all times, the vulcanizing being carried on in a tunnel like vulcanizer. By this means a maximum product-ion is secured.

The showing in the dra-wings is not detailed, as the invention resides broadly in the assembly of elements for handling the molds and the details are non-essential and may be varied or altered as circumstances seem to require.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a view in plan of the apparatus or plant for vulcanizing the tires.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the entire plant shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a cross section through the vulcanzing tunnel or chamber.

The apparatus comprises a main conveyor or mold carrier -1- on which the molds are supported in horizontal position and over which the upper half of the mold is lifted, the tire removed, a green or unvulcanized tire put in place in the mold and the mold closed and locked. The molds are indicated by the numeral -2-, the lower half bearing the numeral -3- and the upper half the numeral -4.

Serial No. 437,791.

series of travelling lid lifting devices, indicated by the numeral -5, which are constructed in the manner well known in the art, so as to move over the conveyor -1 at the same speed. When the molds have been cracked7 or opened enough to enable the upper half to be lifted away from the lower half,-tl1e particular lifting device which is above the mold, is attached to it by means of lugs -25- and the upper half is raised and caused to travel with but above the lower half. At the far end of the oonveyor, the lid or upper half is lowered on to the lower half and during the interval between the lifting and lowering of the lid, the cured or vulcanized tire is removed, the mold cleaned and a fresh or unvulcanized tire inserted in its place.

After the upper half is lowered onto the lower half the two halves are securely locked together so as to prgiidejthe necessary pressure in the vulcanization of the' tire. i l

The mold, securely clamped together with the unvulcanized tire within it, is discharged on the far side of the conveyor -1- to 1an inclined chute, or conveyor -6- down which it moves to a second conveyor or chute --7 at right angles thereto. In passing from the conveyor 1 to the conveyor -7- in the chute or conveyor 6 the mold is turned from a horizontal to a vertical postion so that it rolls down to the vulcanizer conveyor to be described.`

Parallel with the conveyor -1- is a tunnel ori chamber -8- in which the vulcanizing of the tire takes place. The chamber is a long tunnel like structure of a cross section closely conforming to the mold, and is arranged to be heated in any suitable manner, a jacketed wall -A- being shown which may be used for the passage of a heating medium, if desired. The tunnel is preferably, although not necessarily in sections, the sections at about the midway point of the tunnel being the hottest.

At about the center of the tunnel is constructed a flue -10- by means of which a draft is created tending to draw the hot air toward the center of the chamber.

Passing the length of the chamber -8- is a conveyor -11- the lower run of which returns beneath the chamber, the receiving point being at the discharge 'endofgthe chute or conveyor -7- sothat the moldsm'roll into the conveyor in atvertical position. `rThe conveyor -ll-M may be of any approved paratus herein shown, a series ot molds are construction it being only essential that it kept in constant circulation and are at all be arranged to carry the molds in vertical times employed in useful and productive position. The conveyor shown in the draW- Work, and that the labor connected with the ings comprises parallel chains 12A in handling of the molds is reduced to a mim- 70 conjunction With side supporting bars or mum. strips -18 which support the molds on Changes and modifications may be made their edges so that they are prevented from in specific embodiments of this invention overturning. and variation in the arrangement of the By turning the molds from horizontal to parts may be made Without aii'ecting the in- 7 vertical position, I am enabled to shorten or vention or sacrificing any of its beneiits. condense the length of the curing tunnel or I claim: chamber so that the apparatus is more prac- 1. A vulcanizing apparatus for use with tical, as a conveyor in which the molds are molds embodying annular mating sections 15 horizontal Would necessarily be much longer comprising, an elongate heating chamber 80 and the heat would not be so advantageously havingan entrance end, co-operating conused. veyor elements operable to transport the It will be understood that the arrangemolds in a substantially horizontal plane toment of the curing chamber provides for a Ward the entrance end of the chamber said gradual raise in the temperature of the conveyors embodying means for separating S5 molds and contents up to the curing point, and assembling the respective sections of' and after curing a gradual decrease in temcertain molds as they are being transported, perature as they near the discharge @11d 0f a conveyor adapted to traverse the chamber, the chamber. The travel of the molds is and a Chute adapted to feed the assembled CODCluCteCl SlOWly eIiOugh S0 that the time molds from Said first Conveyo'igsto said see- 90 consumed in the heating up, curing and coolond Conveyors and to turn them' into an nping is sufficient toobtain the best results in standing position during such feeding 0pvulcanization. eration.

At the discharge end of the vulcanizing Q A Vuloanizing apparatus for use with chamber is arranged a tank or bath of Wa` molds embodying annular mating sections 95 ter lior other cooling medium, into Comprising, an elongate heating ehamber which the molds are lowered by a cooling having an entrance end oo opemting com conveyor -l5- by Which the molds are veyor elements operable to transport the cooled sufficiently to enable them to be hanmolds in a substantially horizontal plane to dled. Any suitable means may be provided said entrance end of the chamber said con- 1U@ for lowering the molds from a vertical posiveyors embodying means for separating and tion to a horizontal position on the conveyor assembling respective sections of certain -15- but such adevice is not an essential molds as they are being transported, a secpu't 0f tllS 'DVBHOH and may take llyjond conveyor in the chamber disposed at a 40 suitable form or may be omitted ifdesired. lower level than the (3o-operating Conveyor 105 The molds travel through the cooling bath elements, and an inclined chute adapted to or trough for a suiiicient distance and/lare feed the molds from the co-operating conthen raised out of the same and passedn to veyors to the second conveyor and to turn a transfer conveyor Y--16- which moves them during the feeding operation into a them over to a short conveyor -17- leadposition to roll upon said second conveyor. 110 ing to the conveyor-1 and discharging 3. A vulcanizing apparatus for use With the molds thereon. molds embodying annular mating sections Before the molds reach the conveyor comprising, an elongate chamber having an -lthey pass into any suitable or desiraentrance end, co-operating conveyor eleble form of mold opening or cracking dements operable to transport the molds in a 115 vice -18-- This may be in the form of substantially horizontal plane to the cna magnetic opener or separator which Will trance end .ofi the chamber said conveyors magnetically hold and separate the tivo embodying means for separating and assemhalves of the mold. The particular 'forni or bling the respective sections of certain molds design of separator' is not essential to my i11- as they are being transported, a second con- 120 ventiou and an apparatus for this purpose veyor in the chamber disposed at a lower may be omitted entirely if desired, it being level than said co-operating conveyors, an the practice in factories at present to start inclined chute adapted to Yfeed the molds or crack the molds by a cron7 bar or simifrom the first conveyors to the second con- 00 lar implement. veyor and to turn them during the feeding 12 After leaving the opener or starter the operation into an upright position to roll molds pass on to the conveyor -l Where upon said second conveyor, and means upon they are opened and begin again the circuit the second conveyor for retaining the molds which has been described. in an upright position. It Will be seen that by the use of the ap- 4. A vulcanizing apparatus for use With 130 molds embodying annular mating sections comprising, an elongate heating chai'nber including an entrance end and means for concentrating heat throughout a predetermined area thereof, (3o-operating conveyor' elements operable to transport the molds in a substantially horizontal plane to the entrance end of said chamber said conveyor embodying means for separating and assembling the rel0 spective sections of certain molds as they are being transported, a second conveyor in the chamber disposed at a lower level than the co-operating conveyors, means adapted to feed the molds from the iirst conveyors to the second conveyor and to turn them into an upright position during such feeding operation, and means' upon -the second conveyor for retaining the molds in an upright position thereon.

CARMON A. MYERS. 

